Triggering apparatus



Nov. 17, 1964 L. J. MOELLER TRIGGERING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1961 FIG.

2 Sheets-Sheet l M1 vs ran L. J

United States Patent York Filed July 25, 1961, der. No. 126,579 7 Qlaims. (Ci. 74-419) This invention relates to a triggering apparatus and more specifically to a sensitive triggering apparatus responsive to the passage of articles. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus of this nature.

In triggering apparatus for utilization in such devices as telephone coin boxes, a triggering arm is moved from its nontriggered position to its triggered position to indicate the passage of an article. Since, in many applications the articles are of light weight, such as thin, worn dimes, this triggering apparatus must be very sensitive. Also, the triggering apparatus must be so designed that the triggering arm will not be damaged as it is driven from its triggered position toward its nontriggered position when an article has not moved completely past the triggering arm and prevents return movement of the triggering arm.

In prior art apparatus, a resilient torsion member is connected between the triggering arm and the frame of the triggering apparatus to drive the triggering arm to its nontriggered position from its triggered position. When an article moves past the triggering arm, the triggering arm is moved to its triggered position, whereby the resilient torsion member is tensioned, and the triggering arm is locked in this position. When the lock is released, the tensioned resilient torsion member urges the triggering arm from its triggered position toward its nontriggered position.

By utilizing this resilient torsion member as a driving member, the triggering arm will not be damaged when an article is in its path of movement since the resilient torsion member is designed to have a small driving torque. Thus, the resilient torsion member must be constructed to very exact specifications in order to provide enough driving torque to return the triggering arm to its nontriggered position, but not too much driving torque, so that the triggering arm is not damaged when an article is in its path of movement. Furthermore, this resilient torsion member adds to the torque that an article must overcome to cause pivotal movement of the triggering arm and, therefore, this resilient torsion member must be lightly and fragilely constructed to permit operation of the triggering apparatus by light weight articles. An additional object of this invention is to provide an improved triggering apparatus which overcomes the diiiiculties incurred in prior art apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved triggering apparatus which is responsive to the passage of very light weight articles.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved triggering apparatus which will not be damaged if an article prevents movement of a triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved triggering apparatus wherein a driving control element for returning a triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position is free to move relative to the triggering arm if movement of the triggering arm is prevented.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved, reliable triggering apparatus which is sturdily constructed and economical to manufacture.

With these and other objects in mind, the present invention relates to a triggering apparatus wherein a triggering arm and a control element are pivotable about the same axis, and they are connected through a resilient connector which is of such a strength that they normally pivot together. As an article engages the triggering arm and moves therepast, the triggering arm and the control element are pivoted from their nontriggered positions to their triggered positions. Subsequently, a control drive member cooperates with the control element to drive the triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position. When an article is in the path of movement of the triggering arm and thereby prohibits pivotal movement thereof in response to the cooperative operation of the control drive member and the control element, the resilient connector permits relative pivotal movement of the control element with respect to the triggering arm so that the triggering arm is not damaged by being forced against the article.

in accordance with the present invention, the resilient connector may be sturdily constructed since it does not add to the initial torque an article must overcome to trigger the apparatus and it need not be made to very exacting specifications since the torque for restoring the triggering arm to its nontriggered position is supplied by a source external to the resilient connector.

This invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating the triggering apparatus in its maximum triggered position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the triggering apparatus in its maximum nontriggered position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the triggering apparatus in its normal nontriggered position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded fragmentary view of FIG. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a triggering arm 11, having an article engaging portion 12 and a hub portion 13, is pivotable about a pivot shaft 14 and the triggering arm has a maximum nontriggered position (FIG. 2), a normal nontn'ggered position (FIG. 3), and a maximum triggered position (FIG. 1). The triggering arm is pivoted from its normal nontriggered position to its maximum triggered position in response to an article, such as a coin, moving down a chute 15 into engagement with the article engaging portion 12 of the triggering arm and moving therepast.

The hub portion 13 of the triggering arm 11 is re cessed to receive a latching portion of a resilient latching member in, which cooperates with the hub portion to retain the triggering arm in its normal nontriggered position. The hub portion 13 and the resilient latching member 16 so cooperate that only a small force, such as the body weight of a thin, worn dime, is required to impart pivotal movement to the triggering arm, whereby the hub portion is moved out of en agement with the resilient latching member. The resilient latching member 16 is partially deflected to the right, as shown in the drawings, when it is in engagement with the hub portion of the triggering arm and therefore, due to its resilience, the latching member is urged to the left, as shown in the drawings. When the hub portion of the triggering arm moves out of en agement therewith, the resilient latching member moves to the left to close an electrical contact (not shown) which may be connected to an indicating device to indicate the passage of an article. Thus, when the resilient latching member is free to move 3 to the left, the triggering arm is in its initial triggered position. However, the triggering arm must pivot to its maximum triggered position to permit an article to move therepast. I

A control element 18' is also pivotable about the pivot shaft M and the control element is connected to the triggering arm through a torsion spring 19. This torsion spring encircles the shaft i4 (FIGS. 4 and 5) and permits relative pivotal movement between the control element and the triggering arm under circumstances as set forth below. The control element has a projection 2d extending therefrom which is engageable with the article engaging portion 12 of the triggering arm, and the torsion spring 19 is so connected between the triggering arm and the control element that it is partially tensioned and urges the control element and the triggering arm to pivot relative to each other. As a result, the projection it) of the control element is normally retained in engagement with the top of the article engaging portion 12 of the triggering arm (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 3) so that the control element and the triggering arm may pivot relative to each other in one direction only from this normal condition. The torsion spring is constructed to have suflicient strength so that the control element and the triggering arm normally pivot together.

As the triggering arm 11 is pivoted from its nontriggered position to its triggered position, the control element llii pivots therewith. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the control element pivots with the triggering arm only until the control element engages a restoral bar 25 which prevents further pivotal movement thereof. The torsion spring force must then be overcome by the article to pivot the triggering arm relative to the control element to the maximum triggered position so that the aricle may move therepast.

The restoral bar 25 is provided to cooperate with the control element 18 in pivoting the triggering arm ill from its triggered position to its maximum nontriggered position and to cooperate with the resilient latching member 16 to partially deflect it to the right, as shown in the drawings, so that the hub portion of the triggering arm may be moved into engagement with the latching portion thereof. A relay operated armature 26 (FIG. 1) is provided to impart movement to the restoral bar 25, whereby deflecting movement is imparted to the latching member and whereby pivotal movement is imparted to the control element and through the torsion spring 19 to the triggering arm ill. When an article is in the path of movement of the triggering arm and prevents pivotal movement thereof from its triggered position to its nontriggered position, the torsion spring 19 permits the control element 18 to pivot relative to the triggeringarm so that the triggering arm is not damaged by driving the article engaging portion 12 against the article with sufiicient damaging force.

The armature 26 is operated and controlled in a standard manner and, since the features thereof are not con-l sidered part of this invention, its operation and control are not discussed in further detail.

In operation, in accordance with the ultilization of this apparatus in conjunction with telephone coin boxes, assume the triggering arm is in its normal nontriggered position. A coin is deposited in the coin box and it passes down the chute within which the article engaging portion 12 of the triggering arm ill is positioned. When the coin engages the article engaging portion 12 of the triggering arm, it imparts pivotal movement to the triggering arm, since the coin weighs enough. to overcome the'latching force of the resilient latching member 16, and the trigegring arm is pivoted to its maximum triggered position to permit the coin to move therepast. This pivotal movement is imparted through the torsion spring 19 to the control element 18 and the control element is pivoted with the triggering arm until it engages the restoral bar 25. The restoral bar permits further pivotal movement of the control element and the torsion spring 19 permits the triggering arm to pivot relative to the control element.

Subsequently, the relay operated armature Z6 cooperates with the restoral bar ZS to impart pivotal movement to the control element and to impart deflecting move: ment to the resilient latching member to. This pivotal movement is imparted through the torsion spring it to the triggering arm ill to pivot the triggering arm to its maximum nontriggered position (H6. 2), whereby the hub portion 13 of the triggering arm is moved into engagement with the latching portion of the latching member 16.

When the armature 26 is moved out of engagement with the restoral bar 25, the resilient latching member 16 urges to the left, as shown in the drawings, due to its resilience and exerts a camming force through its latching portion against the hub portion 13 of the triggering arm which centers the latching portion within the recess of the hub portion and pivots the triggering arm to its normal nontriggered position (FIG. 3). The triggering arm is pivoted to its maximum nontriggered position as a precaution to be sure that the triggering arm is always pivoted far enough to be positioned in its normal nontriggered position for a subsequent operation.

When a coin has not moved completely past the triggering arm 11 and the armature 2n and the restoral bar 25 cooperate to impart pivotal movement to the control element 13, the coin will prevent pivotal movement of the triggering arm and the torsion spring 1% permits the control element to pivot relative to the triggering arm so that the triggering arm is not damaged by forcing its article engaging portion 12 against the coin with sutficient damaging force.

It may now be seen that a sturdy, economical triggering apparatus has been provided which is responsive to the passage of very light weight articles and which is not damaged when an article prevents pivotal movement of its trigger arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position. A triggering arm and a control element are connected through a resilient connector, which is stu-rdily constructed and need not be made to exacting specifications, and they are pivotable about the same axis. The triggering arm is pivoted from its nontriggered position to its triggered position by an article as it moves therepast and this pivotal movement is imparted to the control element through the resilient connector to pivot the control element to its triggered position. When a pivoting force is imparted to the control element to move the triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position and an article in the path of movement of the triggering arm prevents pivotal movement thereof, the resilient connector permits pivotal movement of the control element relative to the triggering arm so that the triggering arm its not damaged by forcing it against the article with sufficient damaging force.

This triggering apparatus may'also be readily utilized for other triggering applications wherein it is desired to indicate the passage of an article, such as indicating the movement of an article on a conveyor belt past a predetermined point along the path of movement of the conveyor belt.

Furthermore, this triggering apparatus may be modified so that no relative pivotal movement need be imparted between the triggering arm and the control element in order for an article to move past the triggering arm. Such modifications could involve shortening the length of the triggering arm or moving the restoral bar to the left, as shown in the drawings, to permit further pivotal movement of the control elementbefore it engages the restoral bar. In these modifications, the resilient connector would only permit relative movement between the triggering arm and the control element when an article prevented movement of the triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position, and thus the resilient connector may be constructed even more sturdily.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, many modifications will be apparent, and it is intended that the invention be interpreted as including all modifications which fall Within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Triggering apparatus responsive to the passage of articles, which comprises:

a pivotally mounted triggering arm having a normal, nontriggered position and a triggered position and being pivotable to the triggered position by an article engaging said triggering arm as it moves therepast;

means for releasably retaining said triggering arm in the nontriggered position;

a control element pivotally mounted for movement about the same axis as said triggering arm;

resilient means acting between said control element and said triggering arm and urging said control element and said triggering arm toward one particular angular orientation relative to each other so that said control element and said triggering arm may pivot freely as a unit without energization of said resilient means; and

control means normally withdrawn from but actuatable to engage said control element for moving said triggering arm toward its nontriggered position through said control element and through said resilient means such that when an article prevents pivotal movement of said triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position said control element can pivot relative to said triggering arm.

2. Triggering apparatus responsive to the passage of articles, which comprises:

a pivotally mounted triggering arm having a nontriggered position and a triggered position and being pivotable to the triggered position by an article engaging said triggering arm as it moves therepast;

means for releasably retaining said triggering arm in the nontriggered position;

a control element pivotally mounted for movement about the same axis as said triggering arm and having a portion engageable with said triggering arm so that said control element is pivotable relative to said triggering arm in one direction only from a normal angular orientation with respect thereto;

resilient means acting between said control element and said triggering arm and urging said control element to its normal angular orientation with respect to said triggering arm such that said control element and said triggering arm may pivot freely as a unit without energization of said resilient means; and

control means normally withdrawn from but actuatable to engage said control element for moving said triggering arm towards its nontriggered position through said control element and through said resilient means such that when an article prevents pivotable movement of said triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position said control element can pivot relative to said triggering arm.

3. Triggering apparatus responsive to the passage of articles, which comprises:

a pivotally mounted triggering arm having a normal, nontriggered position and a triggered position and being pivotable to the triggered position by an article engaging said triggering arm as it moves therepast;

a resilient latching member cooperable with said triggering arm for releasably holding said triggering arm it its nontriggered position;

a control element pivotally mounted for movement about the same axis as said triggering arm;

resilient means acting between said control element and said triggering arm and urging said control element and said triggering arm toward one particular angular orientation relative to each other so that said control element and said triggering arm may pivot freely as a unit without energization of said resilient means; and

control means normally withdrawn from but actuatable to engage said control element for moving said triggering arm toward its nontriggered position through said control element and through said resilient means such that when an article prevents pivotal movement of said triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position said control element can pivot relative to said triggering arm.

4. Triggering apparatus responsive to the passage of articles, which comprises:

a pivotally mounted triggering arm having a nontriggered position and a triggered position and being pivotable to the triggered position by an article engaging said triggering arm as it moves therepast;

a resilient latching member cooperable with said triggering arm for releasably retaining said triggering arm in the nontriggered position;

a control element pivotally mounted for movement about the same axis as said triggering arm and having a portion engageable with said triggering arm so that said control element is pivotable relative to said triggering arm in one direction only from a normal angular orientation with respect thereto;

a torsion spring acting between said control element and said triggering arm and urging said control element to its normal angular orientation with respect to said triggering arm such that said control element and said triggering arm may pivot freely as a unit without energization of said torsion spring; and

control means normally withdrawn from but actuatable to engage said control element for moving said triggering arm towards its nontriggered position through said control element and through said torsion spring such that when an article prevents pivotable movement of said triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position said control element can pivot relative to said triggering arm.

5. Triggering apparatus comprising:

a latching member movable between a normal position and an actuated position and resiliently urged towards its normal position;

a triggering arm pivotable between a nontriggered position and a triggered position, said triggering arm when in its nontriggered position being engageable by and serving to maintain said latching member in its actuated position and when moved to its triggered position permitting return of said member to its normal position;

control means engageable with and serving to move said member from its normal position to its actuated position;

a control element pivotable about the same axis as said triggering arm and engageable by said control means;

spring means urging said triggering arm towards its nontriggered position with respect to said control element such that said control means may move said triggering arm resiliently towards its nontriggered position through said element and through said spring means while moving said latching member towards its actuated position; and

stop means on said element and on said triggering arm cooperable to limit relative pivotal movement of said triggering arm and said element by said spring means such that said triggering arm, said spring means and said element may float freely as a unit and movement of said triggering arm towards its triggered position may be initiated by a passing article without energization of said spring means.

6. Triggering apparatus responsive to the passage of articles, which comprises:

a pivotally mounted triggering arm having a normal, nontriggered position and a triggered position and being pivotable to the triggered position by an article engaging said triggering arm as it moves therepast;

means for releasably retaining said triggering arm in the nontriggered position;

a control element pivotally mounted for movement about the same axis as said triggering arm;

resilient means connecting said control element and said triggering arm; and

control means normally withdrawn from but actuatable to engage said control element for moving said triggering arm toward its nontriggered position through said control element and through said resilient means such that when an article prevents pivotal movement of said triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position said control element can pivot relative to said triggering arm;

said resilient means normally urging said control element and said triggering arm towards one particular angular orientation relative to each other so that said triggering arm, said spring means, and said control element may float freely as a unit and movement of said triggering arm toward its triggered position may be initiated by a passing article wthout energization of said resilient means.

7. Triggering apparatus responsive to the passage of articles, which comprises:

a pivotally mounted triggering arm having a nontriggered position and a triggered position and being pivotable to the triggered position by an article engaging said triggering arm as it moves therepast;

means for releasably retaining said triggering arm in the nontriggered position;

a control element pivotally mounted for movement about the same axis as said triggering arm;

resilient means connecting said control element and said triggering arm; and

control means normally withdrawn from but actuable to engage said control element for moving said triggering arm towards its nontriggered position through said control element and through said resilient means such that when an article prevents pivotable movement of said triggering arm from its triggered position to its nontriggered position said control element can pivot relative to said triggering arm;

said control element having a portion normally urgedby said resilient means into abutment With said triggering arm such that said triggering arm, said spring means, and said control element may float freely as a unit and movement of said triggering arm towards its triggered position may be initiated by a passing article without energization of said resilient means.

2,113,430 Kennedy Apr. 5, 1938 

1. TRIGGERING APPARATUS RESPONSIVE TO THE PASSAGE OF ARTICLES, WHICH COMPRISES: A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TRIGGERING ARM HAVING A NORMAL, NONTRIGGERED POSITION AND A TRIGGERED POSITION AND BEING PIVOTABLE TO THE TRIGGERED POSITION BY AN ARTICLE ENGAGING SAID TRIGGERING ARM AS IT MOVES THEREPAST; MEANS FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING SAID TRIGGERING ARM IN THE NONTRIGGERED POSITION; A CONTROL ELEMENT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT THE SAME AXIS AS SAID TRIGGERING ARM; RESILIENT MEANS ACTING BETWEEN SAID CONTROL ELEMENT AND SAID TRIGGERING ARM AND URGING SAID CONTROL ELEMENT AND SAID TRIGGERING ARM TOWARD ONE PARTICULAR ANGULAR ORIENTATION RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER SO THAT SAID CONTROL ELEMENT AND SAID TRIGGERING ARM MAY PIVOT FREELY AS A UNIT WITHOUT ENERGIZATION OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS; AND CONTROL MEANS NORMALLY WITHDRAWN FROM BUT ACTUATBLE TO ENGAGE SAID CONTROL ELEMENT FOR MOVING SAID TRIGGERING ARM TOWARD ITS NONTRIGGERED POSITION THROUGH SAID CONTROL ELEMENT AND THROUGH SAID RESILIENT MEANS SUCH THAT WHEN AN ARTICLE PREVENTS PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID TRIGGERING ARM FROM ITS TRIGGERED POSITION TO ITS NONTRIGGERED POSITION SAID CONTROL ELEMENT CAN PIVOT RELATIVE TO SAID TRIGGERING ARM. 